Arablest/ Prototype

It was while we were at Thanti when Katrina approached me. By then I was feeling better from my sickness, but my allergies weren’t helping at all. Why they started acting up now, I don’t know.

I had been in my room reading a book when she knocked. After finding out who it was, I let her come in, and the first thing she did after close the door was to question me.

“Jeremy, I’ve been meaning to ask you for some time, but you’ve always seemed busy with something until now. What is your relation between you and my sister Veronica? I have the right to know, as Veronica is my sister.”
“Wait, what? What are you talking about?” I responded in surprise. “As far I know, she was just a friend. Why?”
“Just a friend? I saw my sister, Veronica, hugging you when I walked in. Now, don’t take me wrong; I don’t disapprove of this, but I must know what is going on. She is my sister, after all, and I want to make sure—“
“You want to protect her, being her older sister. You feel that you must keep Veronica safe, is that right?”
“Ho-How did you know?”
“Well, for one thing you kept mentioning that she was your sister. Second, I have siblings too, although I have no idea where they are anymore. Probably with the rest of my family back where I live.”
“Oh… And you’re trying to get back? Why is going back so important?”
“Because… I was brought to Lehrail against my own will, and my family doesn’t know it.”

The silence afterword was awkward.

“So, tell me about Veronica. You’re her sister, right?”
“What? What for?”
“Well… I find her actions stranger than most of the people here.” I replied. I proceeded to tell her about what happened when I got lost, found myself in a camp full of dead soldiers, and Veronica brought me out of there. I put emphasis about my confusion and dislike about the part while we were flying to the port town in Thanti, and then contradicted that to her personality and actions when everyone else was around beforehand. In fact, she was quietist person I knew, rivaling Garn, which was saying something, until we were alone on her unicorn.

Katrina was silent for a moment, before answering, which ended up in a long conversation as we discussed why Veronica might be the way she was.

She told me that when she and Veronica were young, Athruien, their older brother, left to join the Royal Army. Katrina didn’t have anyone to play with anymore, since Veronica was too young to play their games. Katrina ended up helping do the chores more often, since the closest family that loved by was half a day’s walk away, so Katrina didn’t have anyone to talk and play with in her free time, so she spent her free time looking after Veronica, which she liked doing. Over that time she had grown fond of her younger sister, and listened to the occasional news about her older brother Athruien.

As they grew older, even the income from Athruien’s job was not doing much to help them survive. Katrina set out to become a mercenary instead, since she didn’t want to join the Royal Army for her personal reasons. Veronica was still quite young at the time, and probably didn’t realize what Katrina was doing.

According to Veronica in her last visit, which was months ago by now, their family did not have any more children, so we concluded that Veronica grew up spending most of her childhood alone without anyone her age to talk to.

So, it was understandable that she was quite shy and eccentric at the same time.

At least, that’s what Katrina told me.

It was a while after that lengthy conversation General Ira knocked on the door. During that time we just sat there thinking. I thought about what Katrina had said, and who knows what Katrina was thinking. I still wonder to this day why Katrina stayed there until General Ira knocked.

“Jeremy? Are you inside? We all need to talk, so when you’re ready, could you come to my room?”
“All right. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” I responded.
“Thank you. Also, have you seen Katrina? If you do, tell her that we all need to talk in my room.”
“Katrina? Ok, I’ll tell her if I see her.”
“Thank you.”

Katrina looked at me. “Well, at least I can understand the relationship between you and Veronica. It certainly does make sense.”
“Great. She we head off to General Ira’s room?”
“Yes. I have nothing else to discuss with you at the moment.”

With that she left the room, and I sighed. Putting the book I had been reading away before Katrina walked in, I stood up and stretched before following Katrina.

In General Ira’s room, things were looking grave. Even her facial expression showed much seriousness. Everyone else was in the room, as well as another bird, and again, a large number of scrolls on the table.

“Are we all here? Good.” Ira spoke first, lifting up a small piece of parchment. “All of you have the right to leave and do as you will. I’ve already sent a message back to Raymond when we were in Raalte that I would be returning to assist in the war effort. According to the reports, Thrycia is doing a relatively good job holding them back, but because our army was stretched thin across the country searching for Brixus, our response to the invasion was not as good as it could have been, giving Slazsk a chance to capture some cities on the border. You all must continue to help Jeremy find his way home, unless he otherwise orders so. But let me state this: Thrycia can no longer spend any effort helping you, Jeremy, get home at the moment since now we have a war on hand. It would be far easier if you were to stay at the capital and wait for the war to end; finding your way home afterwards will be much easier.”

We all stayed silent for a moment, before I spoke up.

“Well, looks like I have no choice. I will go back to Thrycia as well. Tomer, and the rest of you,” I said, directing my next words at everyone else. “You are all free to do as you will. Whatever contract that kept you bound to me is now null and void.”

It took a while for everyone to realize what I had just said to sink in.

Kal spoke first. “Nonsense! I’m staying with you till the very end! That’s what friends are for! And besides, you spared my life, so I still owe you one.”
“I’ll hate to say it, but I’m with Kal on this one.” Tomer spoke. “Thrycia’s matters are also ours. We’re going with you two to protect our country, whether or not the army likes it. And this time, we will have the entire might of our mercenary company.”
“Although I’m not a citizen of Thrycia,” Pierre said, “I was told to stay and travel with Jeremy by the Arch-Bishop of Thanti, so I will continue to do so. Also, this would help to improve our relations with Thrycia even further.”

There was a short silence in the room as we realized everybody was going with General Ira back. When that happened we all spontaneously began to laugh, except for General Ira.

“Hey, this is no laughing matter. Our country is at war, and although it’s nice to know that all of you are willing to help, we must get going.”
“Yeah, that’s true. But turns out that we don’t really need this meeting, don’t we? Lighten up; we won’t get much time to enjoy ourselves once we’re in war.” Tomer responded. “But yes, we should prepare to go; we’ve been in this town longer than we should have. General Ira, we’ll split up here and regroup later; I’m going to call all the mercenaries back together…”

At this point I left the room, and slowly made my way back to my room as I fully realized the entire implications of all this was.

My way home was delayed again. Why did I say to go back? They would probably make me a tactician again, despite my ineptness. I might even get killed. This was war. A real war between countries, and I was caught up in it, despite all my efforts to try to get more.

It was too much, my body felt weak at the thought, and I slumped against the wall.

What had I gotten myself into?